The prosecution told St Albans Crown Court that Ian Stewart wanted to "do away" with his partner and used a sleeping drug prescribed for him to put her into a semi-conscious state, before possibly smothering her with a pillow.

Her body was found in a cesspit below the couple's garage in Hertfordshire, along with the remains of her pet dachshund Boris, in July 2016.

Stewart, 56, has already told the court Ms Bailey was kidnapped in April of that year by two mysterious associates of her ex-husband, called Nick and Joe, who have not been subsequently traced.

Image:The home where the author was found in a cesspit

Stewart told the jury on Thursday that Nick came to their house a few days after her disappearance and placed him in a headlock, telling him: "This is what happened to Helen."

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He said he was allowed to speak to her on the phone, but when he asked her where she was, Nick took the phone away from him.

The two men forced him to keep her kidnapping a secret, Stewart said in his evidence, warning him his sons would be in danger if he told anyone about their actions.